World Snooker Championship Schedule: Ronnie O'Sullivan Aims for Historic Eighth Title

The World Snooker Championship is set to begin, with defending champion Zhao Xintong and Ronnie O'Sullivan, who is seeking a record eighth title, being challenged by top players including Judd Trump and Mark Selby. The tournament, which has a rich history dating back to 1927, will feature 32 players competing for the top prize. O'Sullivan will make his 34th consecutive appearance at the iconic Crucible venue, while Zhao will attempt to overcome the 'Crucible Curse' and become the first maiden winner to successfully defend the title. The top 16 seeds, including Mark Allen, Xiao Guodong, Mark Williams, and Barry Hawkins, will be drawn at random against the 16 players who come through the qualifying rounds. The championship will also feature bonuses for maximum breaks, with an additional £147,000 on offer for any player who makes two maximums across the season's Triple Crown events and the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters. Since 1977, there have been 24 different champions, with Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O'Sullivan sharing the record of seven crowns apiece.